NY State Senate Bill 2025-S3963

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Alcoholism And Substance Use Disorders Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 31, 2025	referred to alcoholism and substance use disorders

2025-S3963 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A5357
Current Committee:: Senate Alcoholism And Substance Use Disorders
Law Section:: Mental Hygiene Law
Laws Affected:: Add §32.05-b, Ment Hyg L

2025-S3963 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Provides for voluntary certification of certified recovery community centers.

2025-S3963 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S3963

SPONSOR: FERNANDEZ
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to recovery communi-
ty centers

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

To permit recovery community centers to apply for certification from the
Office of Addiction Services and Supports

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section one adds new section 32.05-b to the mental hygiene law to direct
the commissioner to promulgate regulations for the voluntary certif-
ication of certified recovery community centers that shall be evidence-
based and utilize information from sources with expertise in recovery.

Section two establishes the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Recovery Community Outreach Centers (RCOCs) provide needed services and
have become a valued asset in the OASAS system of care. They help many
people sustain their recovery and avoid re-occurrences. Although RCOCs
provide services that mimic billable "peer advocate services" - such as
navigating and connecting clients to resources within the community,
wellness plans and individual support sessions, peer-led groups and
transportation - Medicaid does not reimburse for those services unless
provided through an OASAScertified outpatient program or
inpatient/residential/detox program.(1)

By authorizing voluntary certification for RCOCs, this bill will enable
individual facilities to determine whether to become certified, in turn
enabling them to derive revenue from Medicaid and private insurance
reimbursement. Because RCOCs currently receive their funding solely from
opioid settlement fund dollars, the option to become certified and to
bill for services will become even more important as the opioid settle-
ment fund dollars begin to dwindle and RCOCs must find new funding
sources to remain sustainable.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have
become a law.
(1)Office of Addiction Services and Supports.  OASAS Medicaid APG Clin-
ical and Billing Manual. November 2024.

2025-S3963 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   3963
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 31, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by Sen. FERNANDEZ -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed  to  be committed to the Committee on Alcoholism and Substance
   Use Disorders
 
 AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to recovery communi-
   ty centers
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  The mental hygiene law is amended by adding a new section
 32.05-b to read as follows:
 § 32.05-B CERTIFIED RECOVERY COMMUNITY CENTERS.
   1. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PROMULGATE REGULATIONS CONSISTENT WITH  THIS
 SECTION  FOR THE VOLUNTARY CERTIFICATION OF CERTIFIED RECOVERY COMMUNITY
 CENTERS.
   2. SUCH REGULATIONS SHALL  BE  EVIDENCE-BASED,  UTILIZING  INFORMATION
 FROM  SOURCES  WITH  EXPERTISE IN RECOVERY. SUCH REGULATIONS SHALL, AT A
 MINIMUM, PROVIDE GUIDANCE FOR:
   (A) STAFFING;
   (B) REFERRALS  TO  AND  COORDINATION  WITH  COMMUNITY  AND  PEER-BASED
 SUPPORTS INCLUDING SUPPORT RELATED TO CO-OCCURRING DISORDERS;
   (C) PARTICIPANT SAFETY;
   (D) PARTICIPANT RIGHTS;
   (E) CONFIDENTIALITY;
   (F) RE-OCCURRENCE SUPPORT; AND
   (G) ADMINISTRATIVE AND OPERATIONAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.
   3.  ONCE  THE  COMMISSIONER  HAS  CERTIFIED  A LOCATION AS A CERTIFIED
 RECOVERY COMMUNITY CENTER,  SUCH  CERTIFIED  RECOVERY  COMMUNITY  CENTER
 SHALL  BE  INCLUDED  ON  THE OFFICE'S WEBSITE AS AN AVAILABLE OPTION FOR
 INDIVIDUALS SEEKING SUCH AN ENVIRONMENT.
   4. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL REGULATE AND ENSURE THAT SUCH CENTERS  WHICH
 ARE  CERTIFIED TO BE CERTIFIED RECOVERY COMMUNITY CENTERS ARE CONTINUING
 TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF  THIS  SECTION.  THE  COMMISSIONER  HAS  THE
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD04979-01-5

 S. 3963                             2
 
 AUTHORITY  TO  INSPECT  SUCH  CERTIFIED  RECOVERY  COMMUNITY CENTERS AND
 IMPOSE PENALTIES, INCLUDING LIMITING, REVOKING OR SUSPENDING  A  CERTIF-
 ICATION,  AS  APPROPRIATE,  FOR FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THE PROVISIONS OF
 THIS SECTION.
   5.  THE  COMMISSIONER  SHALL  CONSULT WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO
 ENSURE THAT  THE  SERVICES  PROVIDED  BY  CERTIFIED  RECOVERY  COMMUNITY
 CENTERS ARE REIMBURSABLE IN THE STATE MEDICAID SYSTEM.
   §  2.  This  act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
 have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or
 repeal of any rule or regulation necessary  for  the  implementation  of
 this  act  on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed
 on or before such effective date.

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Senate Bill S3963

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Alcoholism And Substance Use Disorders Committee

2025-S3963 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S3963 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S3963 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S3963 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

Senate Bill S3963

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Sponsored By

Nathalia Fernandez

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Alcoholism And Substance Use Disorders Committee

2025-S3963 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S3963 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S3963 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S3963 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments